The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-12-07
A GlRL cRusoE.
Thrilling Experience of a Mis-
sionary's Daughter.

Among the forthcoming fall pnbllca-
tions Of a web known eastern s'l'i''isi'ine
house is book which promises 10 be ~
,lete with Interest. entitled Missionary
Life and I.ators in the South Sea Islands
Itis the production Of Mis- Hanna Dur
stan. a young lady who has spent ner
entire life among the scenes which she
descril,cs. and who j. now actively en-
ezged in the work Of grenuigailng the
eospel among the idol aorshippers and
parsns Of The i.sr-awsv isles Of the ocean
Ms Dnrss IN il nov seioarning IL Fan
Francisco with friends She has lefi her
field of labor in the FJi Islands 10 jour
nev TO New York and arrange for the
early pubIicalouef her work in which
she takes much pride.
In her island home Miss Durston Is Of
ten famiIiarly called by her friends the
s. Young Crusoe Missionary To the
,7H reporter who visited her the other
evening al her coy quarters at go Me-
AIlister street. Miss Dursion related the
sad story Of how she came 10 earn TINS
title She grefsced her narration by
short Biographical sketch Of herself and q
description Of the missionary work OF her
PARENTS. The fair young authoress was
horn in the Tientsin District, China, in
October. 1856. Her father WAS engaged
in Gospel labors there at the time. The
climate did not agree with Mrs. Durston,
and while Hannah was yet Young the
family removed TO the Sandwich Islands,
where Mr.. DnrstOn, in company with
family named Johannsen, carried on ms
sionarv work. The Durston's eventually,
in 1874. settled in the island OF Vita Levu,
one Of the FIJI group. Upto this time,
said Miss Durston. I had been as happy
as any child possibly could be. was
great favsrite with the natives wherever
we went, and learned their language
thorooghly Besides. father and mother
took great pains to teach me everything,
SO nv education was not neglected
WAS now old enough 10 realize the value
of my parents labors, and began to
take great interest in religious matters.
In A. able a manner a. | knew how J
talked with the Korshippers Of idols and
tried 10 impress upon them the teachings
Of Christianity.
~ II was on a Christmas day that | re-
member 50 well my father telling mother
that he had decided to change his resi-
dence 10 the Island of kardavu, and
there work in harmony with the Wesley
an minister, who are numerous on that
island. We made the change ere anoth-
er month had gone by. ] did not like
Kardavu although there is a pretty bay
and some fine island scenery. We lived
in hut made Of cane, several miles from
where the colony was located.
i was very lonesome, and many Of
the natives had ugly dispositions. They
proiessed disgust and contempt openly
for the missionaries Mothers soft and
kind ways seemed TO have no effect upon
them. and quite frequently they stole
things from Us. Theft / will say though
l. not a common practice among the
Fijians. One day father reprimanded a
sub-chief called Ko-Ko for stealing jack
knife, and in reply the chief threatened
10 wreck vengeance on us Father had
but little fear of them doing anything,
but two days afterwards friendly native
came and told us that Ko-Ko and some
of his friends would pay US visit that
night and probably irurder father and
mother and carry me into captivity, for
Ko-Ko had an evil and licentious disposi-
ton.
Father became alarmed at this. As
the beach was near we resolved TO take a
few things and seek safety on the ocean
in our large bark canoe until the next
dav. as Ko-ko aud his men would surely
be on the lookout From the door Of our
hut to the sandy beach was only few
steps. Here Was our canoe, which father
used in visiting adjacent islands. In the
bow was a capaeious locker, where food
and few other necessarics could be kept.
Toward sunset We FASTENED 10 the beach,
placed our things in the locker, and push
ed the canoe into the water. Ii would
seem that we We're none too soon in get
ting away, for the canoe was hardly a
hundred feet from the beach when the
treacherous Ko-Ko and six Others came
bounding TO the waters edge, brandish-
ing their spears at US in a threatening
fashion. They had visited the house and
found that We had gone ho-ko with an
imprecation, hurled spear at Us, but il
fell short and dropped into the water
Father breatheda a fervent prayer over our
narrow escape and hoisted a sail upon
the slender mast Under the impetus OF
gentle breeze the canoe soon left the
shore far behind.
Mother and wrapped ourselves NJ
in blankets at fathers request and lay
down in the bottom Of the canoe to rest
while he watched. 1t was some time be
fore the tapping of the water against tn,
sides OF the canoe lulled me L. sleep l dc
no; know how long siumbered, but
WAS aroused by sharp cry from father
and fearful tossing Of the canoe. Ny
mother was already sittingup The stan
which had studded the sky when doz
ed of were oi,scured by black masses o
clouds, gusts of wind were shrieking in
dismal way about Us and the waves wer,
large and high. Al times rolling into tn,
canoe. We knew that one of those terri
BILE storms which spring up 50 suddenl,
in the islands was about to break upor
us.
God help u.s. muunured nav fathe
reverently, and he offered up a praye
for our delivennee. ! shall never forge
what followed Black clouds seemed Z,
open and belch out fire and let loose bat
teries Of thunder The shrieking wins
had the velocity of gale and the cano
was tossed like chip upon the tops Q
angry white waves that CLEANED ike tn
white fangs of adeyouring monster Tn
sail was rent asunder and the rain begal
to pour down in torrents Neither faith
er nor mother lost their self possession
They commenced TO pray again and
joined in. IL Was all that could be don,
We elasPed hands and crouched down t
await the inevitable